A parametric study was performed to explore the effect of runner thickness,filtration,and hydrogen content on the mechanical properties and defect formation in Al-7%Si-0.3%Mg(2L99)sand castings.A two-level full factor...A parametric study was performed to explore the effect of runner thickness,filtration,and hydrogen content on the mechanical properties and defect formation in Al-7%Si-0.3%Mg(2L99)sand castings.A two-level full factorial design of experiments was used to statistically evaluate these parameters and the tensile properties were characterized via Weibull distribution analysis.The findings reveal that decreasing the runner thickness from25 mm to 10 mm and using 10 PPI ceramic filters improve mechanical properties by minimizing double oxide film entrainment as confirmed by electron microscopy examination.In addition,lowering hydrogen concentrations within the Al alloy from 0.24 cm^(3)/100 g Al to 0.12 cm^(3)/100 g Al is also shown to enhance casting integrity by suppressing bifilm inflation and subsequent pore formation.ANOVA results indicate that the hydrogen content is the most important factor,contributing 53%to the variability in mechanical properties,followed by filtration(25%)and runner thickness(17%).The optimized casting conditions including thin runners(10 mm thick),melt filtration,and a low hydrogen level(0.12 cm^(3)/100 g Al),result in an approximately 474%increase in the shape factor and a 107%increase in the characteristic life of UTS,as well as an approximately 413%increase in the shape factor and a 149%increase in characteristic life of elongation.The outcomes suggest that controlled filling systems and melt treatment are critical for producing consistent,high integrity aluminum castings in industrial applications.展开更多
To develop a suitable production process for fiber reinforced investment casting shell mold,three methods were studied:the traditional method(M_(1)),the method of adding fiber into silica sol with mechanical stirring ...To develop a suitable production process for fiber reinforced investment casting shell mold,three methods were studied:the traditional method(M_(1)),the method of adding fiber into silica sol with mechanical stirring and ultrasonic agitation(M_(2)),and the method of adding fiber into slurry with mechanical stirring and ultrasonic agitation for durations of 3,15,30,and 45 min(M_(3)).The bending strength,high-temperature self-load deformation,and thermal conductivity of the shell molds were investigated.The results reveal that the enhancement of fiber dispersion through ultrasonic agitation improves the comprehensive performance of the shell molds.The maximum green bending strength of the shell mold by M_(2) reaches 3.29 MPa,which is 29% higher than that of the shell mold prepared by M_(1).Moreover,the high-temperature self-load deformation of the shell mold is reduced from 0.62% to 0.44%.In addition,simultaneous ultrasonic agitation and mechanical stirring effectively shorten the slurry preparation time while maintaining comparable levels of fiber dispersion.With the process M_(3)-45 min,the fillers are uniformly dispersed in the slurry,and the fired bending strength and the high-temperature self-load deformation reach 6.25 MPa and 0.41%,respectively.Therefore,the proposed ultrasonic agitation route is promising for the fabrication of fiber-reinforced shell molds with excellent fibers dispersion.展开更多
The Cu-12Fe alloy has attracted significant attention due to its excellent electrical conductivity and electromagnetic shielding capability,high strength,cost-effectiveness,and recyclability.In the present work,the Cu...The Cu-12Fe alloy has attracted significant attention due to its excellent electrical conductivity and electromagnetic shielding capability,high strength,cost-effectiveness,and recyclability.In the present work,the Cu-12Fe alloy strip with the thickness of 2.4 mm was successfully produced by twin-roll strip casting.The microstructure and properties of the Cu-12Fe alloy were tailored by cold rolling and aging treatment.The tensile strength of the as-cast strip is approximately 328 MPa and its elongation is 25%.The Fe phase randomly dispersed in the matrix,and the average size of Fe-rich phase is 2μm.Besides,enrichment of Fe phase is observed in the central layer of the strip,results in the formation of the“sandwich structure”.Moreover,the as-cast strip of Cu-12Fe was directly cold-rolled from 2.4 to 0.12 mm.The directly cold-rolled sample after aging at 450℃for 16 h(ProcessⅠ)shows excellent electrical conductivity of 69.5%IACS,the tensile strength and elongation are 513 MPa and 3.8%,the saturation magnetic flux density is 20.1 emu·g^(-1),and the coercive force is 25.2 Oe.In ProcessⅡ,the as-cast strip firstly cold-rolled to 1.2 mm,then aged at 500℃for 1.5 h,followed by cold rolling to 0.12 mm,finally aged at 450℃for 16 h.The sample after ProcessⅡshows the electrical conductivity of 66.3%IACS,the tensile strength of 533 MPa,an elongation of 3.5%,saturation magnetic flux density of 21.4 emu·g^(-1),and the coercive force of 22.3 Oe.展开更多
The transient phenomena of re-oxidation and slag entrapment occurring in the tundish during the ladle change-over process have been proven detrimental to clean steel production.Therefore,an unsteady three-phase turbul...The transient phenomena of re-oxidation and slag entrapment occurring in the tundish during the ladle change-over process have been proven detrimental to clean steel production.Therefore,an unsteady three-phase turbulence model,coupling velocity,temperature,and phase field was established to study the effect of the ladle shroud immersion depth on the slag eye formation,slag entrainment,slag dragging,air dragging,and flow characteristics during the ladle change-over process of a two-strand tundish.The results showed that reducing the immersion depth decreases the high-velocity region area under the slag layer in the quasi-steady process.During the emptying stage,as the molten bath level gradually decreases,the outlet temperature exhibits a trend of initially decreasing and subsequently increasing across all three shroud immersion depths.However,under a 210 mm shroud immersion depth,molten slag and air are dragged into the shroud,forming slag droplets and causing significant fluctuations,with a maximum scalar velocity of 0.0764 m/s at the monitoring point.In the filling stage,air and molten slag are dragged into the molten bath,forming bubbles and slag droplets at an immersion depth of 210 mm.Bubbles are observed within the molten slag layer,which can readily cause an emulsification phenomenon,making it easier to be dragged as slag droplets.Additionally,the slag eye area measured under 210 mm immersion depth at 45 s is 0.303 m^(2),while the maximum scalar velocity of 2.4259 m/s is detected at 12 s.At an immersion depth of 360 mm,the average area of the slag eye is minimized to 0.06268 m2,with corresponding variances of 0.006753,representing the optimal immersion depth.展开更多
A full-sectional microstructure characterization method was developed to investigate the formation of coarse slag rims during the continuous casting of hypo-peritectic steel.The cross-sectional microstructural analysi...A full-sectional microstructure characterization method was developed to investigate the formation of coarse slag rims during the continuous casting of hypo-peritectic steel.The cross-sectional microstructural analysis of typical slag rims for two highly crystalline powders revealed that their formation was primarily driven by the solidification of the liquid slag.Distinct differences were observed in the microstructures of slag rims from the two powders.Powder A(characterized by a higher breaking temperature and viscosity)displayed alternating lamellar microstructures of coarse and fine phases,with the coarse phases composed of akermanite-gehlenite transition phases.In contrast,powder B(with a lower breaking temperature and viscosity)predominantly comprised regular akermanite-gehlenite crystals interspersed with a certain amount of glassy phases.Numerical simulations of a three-phase fluid flow coupled with heat transfer indicate that slag rim formation correlates with mold oscillation.Solidification of the liquid slag at the slag rim front predominantly occurs during the negative stroke of the mold oscillation.The average heating rate during the ascending stage of the mold reaches approximately 100 K·s^(−1),whereas the average cooling rate during the descending stage attains 400 K·s^(−1).This temperature variation leads to the formation of lamellar microstructures,whereas the ascending stage promotes the formation of coarse structures and thicker slag rims.Based on the powder properties,two distinct formation pathways exist for highly crystalline mold powders.For the powders with a higher breaking temperature,higher viscosity,and narrower solidification range(powder A),coarse microstructures and thicker slag rims were preferentially formed.For powders with lower breaking temperature and viscosity and wider solidification ranges(powder B),the liquid slag resisted rapid solidification,and the extended mushy zone allowed the partial liquid slag to persist at the slag rim front,promoting the formation of a thin slag rim.This study enhances the understanding of slag rim formation in highly crystalline mold powders and provides critical insights into the control of longitudinal surface cracks in hypo-peritectic steel.展开更多
Cast aluminum(Al)alloys,owing to their low density and high specific strength,offer significant advantages in the fabrication of complex,large-scale,or monolithic structural components across civilian,defense,and mili...Cast aluminum(Al)alloys,owing to their low density and high specific strength,offer significant advantages in the fabrication of complex,large-scale,or monolithic structural components across civilian,defense,and military sectors that are weight-sensitive,including transportation,aerospace,and underwater weaponry.However,a substantial portion of these alloys often exhibit pronounced hot tearing susceptibility(HTS)during casting,which not only detrimentally affects the quality and efficiency of industrial production but also limits their further development in high-tech applications.Therefore,a comprehensive and profound understanding of hot tearing behavior in cast Al alloys is essential.This review first analyzes the formation mechanisms of hot tearing,encompassing strength theory,liquid film theory,intergranular bridging theory,solidification shrinkage compensation theory,and relevant models,as well as the key factors governing its occurrence,including alloy composition,grain structure,casting parameters,and inclusions.It then introduces current research methods,ranging from simple evaluation and physical parameter-based approaches to in situ observation and numerical simulation,followed by a summary of newly proposed hot tearing criteria.Finally,it discusses the remaining scientific challenges and outlines future research directions.Particular emphasis is placed on recent advances in the hot tearing of cast Al alloys over the past decade.展开更多
Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloy demonstrates a significant age-hardening effect,with its mechanical properties tunable by optimizing the aging parameters.To enhance this effect,the as-cast Al-8.5Si-2Cu-0.9Mg alloy was subjected to ...Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloy demonstrates a significant age-hardening effect,with its mechanical properties tunable by optimizing the aging parameters.To enhance this effect,the as-cast Al-8.5Si-2Cu-0.9Mg alloy was subjected to either single-stage aging at temperatures of 150℃,175℃,200℃,and 225℃for 0.5 h to 20 h;or double-stage aging:involving a first-stage aging treatment at 120℃for 1 h,3 h,5 h,or 7 h,followed by a second-stage aging treatment at 175℃ for 0.5 h to 20 h.The microstructure and mechanical properties were evaluated for samples aged at 175℃/7 h,175℃/10 h,120℃/5 h+175℃/5 h,and 120℃/5 h+175℃/8 h.XRD analysis reveals that the as-cast Al-8.5Si-2Cu-0.9Mg alloy consists of theα-Al,Si,θ-Al_(2)Cu,and Q-Al_(5)Cu_(2)Mg_8Si_6phases.The aging kinetics exhibit a double-peak behavior in both single-stage and double-stage aging processes.Under single-stage aging at 175℃/x h and double-stage aging(120℃/5 h+175℃/x h),the precipitates'size at the first peak is smaller than that at the second peak.Compared with single-stage aging(175℃/7 h),double-stage aging(120℃/5 h+175℃/5 h)produces a finer precipitate in the alloy.Theoretical calculations indicate that the number density and nucleation rate of both the Al_(5)Cu_(2)Mg_8Si_6 and Al_(2)Cu phases are higher during the double-stage aging(120℃/5 h+175℃/5 h)than those during the single-stage aging(175℃/7 h).Additionally,tensile tests at both room temperature and 250℃demonstrate that double-stage aging(120℃/5 h+175℃/5 h)significantly improves the mechanical properties of the alloy compared to single-stage aging(175℃/7 h),suggesting that double-stage aging is more effective for enhancing mechanical properties for this alloy.展开更多
Airless tires are essential for enhancing the safety,reliability,and convenience of maintenance of electric bicycles.Polyurethane(PU)is considered a promising candidate for such applications owing to its versatile pro...Airless tires are essential for enhancing the safety,reliability,and convenience of maintenance of electric bicycles.Polyurethane(PU)is considered a promising candidate for such applications owing to its versatile properties.However,their use is limited by insufficient heat resistance and excessive dynamic heat generation under cyclic loading.In this study,star-shaped trifunctional polypropylene glycerol(PPG3)was incorporated into conventional poly(tetramethylene glycol)(PTMG)and 4,4'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate(MDI)-based systems to construct microporous star-shaped casting polyurethanes(SCPU),with water serving as a green foaming agent.Unlike conventional small-molecule trifunctional crosslinkers that create junctions within hard segment domains,PPG3 introduces long flexible arms between the hard segments,anchoring the crosslinking points at its molecular core.The large steric hindrance of PPG3 effectively suppresses soft segment crystallization and lowers the degree of microphase separation,whereas the crosslinked network restricts chain mobility,thereby reducing dynamic heat generation.These structural features also enhance the heat resistance,yielding a softening temperature of 183℃,which is 30.9%higher than that of polyurethane without PPG3.When applied to airless tires by casting SCPU into rubber treads,the fabricated hybrid airless tires achieved a rolling distance of over 3000 km under a load of 65 kg at 25km/h without structural failure,satisfying practical performance requirements.This strategy offers a simple,solvent-free,and environmentally friendly process,underscoring the potential of SCPU for scalable production of high-performance airless tires.展开更多
Manual inspection of onba earing casting defects is not realistic and unreliable,particularly in the case of some micro-level anomalies which lead to major defects on a large scale.To address these challenges,we propo...Manual inspection of onba earing casting defects is not realistic and unreliable,particularly in the case of some micro-level anomalies which lead to major defects on a large scale.To address these challenges,we propose BearFusionNet,an attention-based deep learning architecture with multi-stream,which merges both DenseNet201 and MobileNetV2 for feature extraction with a classification head inspired by VGG19.This hybrid design,figuratively beaming from one layer to another,extracts the enormity of representations on different scales,backed by a prepreprocessing pipeline that brings defect saliency to the fore through contrast adjustment,denoising,and edge detection.The use of multi-head self-attention enhances feature fusion,enabling the model to capture both large and small spatial features.BearFusionNet achieves an accuracy of 99.66%and Cohen’s kappa score of 0.9929 in Kaggle’s Real-life Industrial Casting Defects dataset.Both McNemar’s and Wilcoxon signed-rank statistical tests,as well as fivefold cross-validation,are employed to assess the robustness of our proposed model.To interpret the model,we adopt Grad-Cam visualizations,which are the state of the art standard.Furthermore,we deploy BearFusionNet as a webbased system for near real-time inference(5-6 s per prediction),which enables the quickest yet accurate detection with visual explanations.Overall,BearFusionNet is an interpretable,accurate,and deployable solution that can automatically detect casting defects,leading to significant advances in the innovative industrial environment.展开更多
The effects of the high pressure die casting(HPDC)processes on porosity,microstructure,and mechanical properties of heat-treatment-free aluminum silicon(Al-Si)alloys have long been a focal point in automotive die-cast...The effects of the high pressure die casting(HPDC)processes on porosity,microstructure,and mechanical properties of heat-treatment-free aluminum silicon(Al-Si)alloys have long been a focal point in automotive die-casting research.In this work,the combined effect of shot sleeve materials and slow shot speeds on porosity,microstructure and mechanical properties of a newly designed HPDC Al-Si alloy was investigated.Results show that employing a ceramic shot sleeve or increasing the slow shot speed significantly reduces both the average size and area fraction of externally solidified crystals(ESCs),as well as the average pore size and volume fraction.When the slow shot speed is increased from 0.05 m·s^(-1)to 0.1 m·s^(-1),the pore volume fraction decreases by 10.2%in steel-shot-sleeve samples,compared to a substantial 67.1%reduction in ceramic-shot-sleeve samples.At a slow shot speed of 0.1 m·s^(-1),castings produced with a ceramic shot sleeve exhibit superior mechanical properties:8.3%higher yield strength,17.4%greater tensile strength,and an 81.4%improvement in elongation,relative to those from a steel shot sleeve.These findings provide valuable insights for minimizing porosity and coarse ESCs in die castings,offering promising potential for broader industrial applications.展开更多
Automation and intelligence have become the primary trends in the design of investment casting processes.However,the design of gating and riser systems still lacks precise quantitative evaluation criteria.Numerical si...Automation and intelligence have become the primary trends in the design of investment casting processes.However,the design of gating and riser systems still lacks precise quantitative evaluation criteria.Numerical simulation plays a significant role in quantitatively evaluating current processes and making targeted improvements,but its limitations lie in the inability to dynamically reflect the formation outcomes of castings under varying process conditions,making real-time adjustments to gating and riser designs challenging.In this study,an automated design model for gating and riser systems based on integrated parametric 3D modeling-simulation framework is proposed,which enhances the flexibility and usability of evaluating the casting process by simulation.Firstly,geometric feature extraction technology is employed to obtain the geometric information of the target casting.Based on this information,an automated design framework for gating and riser systems is established,incorporating multiple structural parameters for real-time process control.Subsequently,the simulation results for various structural parameters are analyzed,and the influence of these parameters on casting formation is thoroughly investigated.Finally,the optimal design scheme is generated and validated through experimental verification.Simulation analysis and experimental results show that using a larger gate neck(24 mm in side length) and external risers promotes a more uniform temperature distribution and a more stable flow state,effectively eliminating shrinkage cavities and enhancing process yield by 15%.展开更多
The flow behavior of molten steel in the thin slab mold under high casting speed conditions was investigated,with a focus on the multi-mode continuous casting and rolling mold.A steel-slag two-phase flow model was est...The flow behavior of molten steel in the thin slab mold under high casting speed conditions was investigated,with a focus on the multi-mode continuous casting and rolling mold.A steel-slag two-phase flow model was established using large eddy simulation,the volume of fluid,and magnetohydrodynamics methods through numerical simulation.The maximum flow velocity and wave height at the steel-slag interface within the mold are critical evaluation criteria for analyzing asymmetric flow under varying casting speeds and electromagnetic braking.The results indicate that the asymmetric flows within the mold do not occur synchronously.The severity of the asymmetric flow correlates with the velocity difference across the steel-slag interface.A greater biased flow prolongs the time required to revert to a steady state.When the magnetic field intensity is set to 0.24 T and the magnetic pole position is at 390 mm from the steel-slag interface,this configuration can reduce the velocity of the steel-slag interface,thereby mitigating the asymmetric flow.Additionally,it can diminish the velocity,impact depth,and impact intensity on the narrow face of the jet,thus improving the distribution of velocity and turbulent kinetic energy within the mold.This configuration prolongs the time required for the steel-slag interface to transition from a stable state to its maximum velocity and shortens the time for the interface to return to stability from an unstable state.Moreover,it ensures the positional stability of the steel-slag interface,confining its position within−3 mm.展开更多
In order to investigate the effect of die wall thickness on morphologies of defect band,a stepped mold with a wall thickness of 5 mm,4 mm,3 mm,2 mm,and 1 mm was designed to carry out high pressure die casting experime...In order to investigate the effect of die wall thickness on morphologies of defect band,a stepped mold with a wall thickness of 5 mm,4 mm,3 mm,2 mm,and 1 mm was designed to carry out high pressure die casting experiments with AlSi10 MgMn alloy.For castings with wall thickness of 2-4 mm,the ratio of the mean defect band width(w)and mean grain size(d)in the defect band(w/d)ranges 7-18,while it increases to 24.47 for the 5 mm-thick casting.This difference is related with the filling speed and the distribution of externally solidified crystals(ESCs).The mold flow analysis indicates that the filling speed decreases from 25.41 m·s^(-1)to 11.07 m·s^(-1)when wall thickness increases from 2 mm to 5 mm.Due to the decreasing filling speed along the wall thickness,ESCs gradually diffuse from the center to the defect band,which keep the shear strength in the defect band at a high-level during filling.Meanwhile,the shear strength generated during the filling also decreases as the shear rate drops.Finally,the defect bands in the 5 mm-thick region become widen and indistinct,and the porosity is as high as 5.25%.展开更多
Counter-gravity casting(CGC)is a widely adopted material processing technique in metals due to its notable benefits,including enhanced filling behavior,reduced defect occurrence,and elevated mechani-cal properties.It ...Counter-gravity casting(CGC)is a widely adopted material processing technique in metals due to its notable benefits,including enhanced filling behavior,reduced defect occurrence,and elevated mechani-cal properties.It plays a pivotal role in fabricating intricate,high-quality components.After its inception in the early 1900s,various CGC processes have emerged,such as low-pressure,counter-pressure,vac-uum suction,and adjusted pressure casting,which are explored in this discourse with an eye toward further advancements.Despite CGC’s superiority over traditional gravity casting and other manufacturing methodologies,specific issues and constraints persist within CGC.This paper endeavors to provide a com-prehensive overview of the historical progression of CGC,its recent developments,and the associated re-search aspects,encompassing topics like filling processes,solidification,microstructural transformations,and the resultant mechanical properties of the fabricated products.Additionally,this paper offers insights into the future challenges and opportunities of CGC.展开更多
Purpose–The precast concrete slab track(PST)has advantages of fewer maintenance frequencies,better smooth rides and structural stability,which has been widely applied in urban rail transit.Precise positioning of prec...Purpose–The precast concrete slab track(PST)has advantages of fewer maintenance frequencies,better smooth rides and structural stability,which has been widely applied in urban rail transit.Precise positioning of precast concrete slab(PCS)is vital for keeping the initial track regularity.However,the cast-in-place process of the self-compacting concrete(SCC)filling layer generally causes a large deformation of PCS due to the water-hammer effect of flowing SCC,even cracking of PCS.Currently,the buoyancy characteristic and influencing factors of PCS during the SCC casting process have not been thoroughly studied in urban rail transit.Design/methodology/approach–In this work,a Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)model is established to calculate the buoyancy of PCS caused by the flowing SCC.The main influencing factors,including the inlet speed and flowability of SCC,have been analyzed and discussed.A new structural optimization scheme has been proposed for PST to reduce the buoyancy caused by the flowing SCC.Findings–The simulation and field test results showed that the buoyancy and deformation of PCS decreased obviously after adopting the new scheme.Originality/value–The findings of this study can provide guidance for the control of the deformation of PCS during the SCC construction process.展开更多
1.Introduction Casting accounts for over 90%of magnesium-based alloy applications with die-cast and thixomolded parts dominating.The high strength-to-weight ratio coupled with excellent fluidity,low volumetric latent ...1.Introduction Casting accounts for over 90%of magnesium-based alloy applications with die-cast and thixomolded parts dominating.The high strength-to-weight ratio coupled with excellent fluidity,low volumetric latent heat and heat capacity,reduced cycle times,and low soldering tendencies,all make magnesium alloys excellent choices for die casting applications.Despite these advantages,in recent years,the use of magnesium in die casting applications has been declining.展开更多
This study investigates the formation feasibility of the integrated bottom car body components with dual die casting injection molding technology.During the production of a die-cast super-large one-piece body part wei...This study investigates the formation feasibility of the integrated bottom car body components with dual die casting injection molding technology.During the production of a die-cast super-large one-piece body part weighing over 10,000 t,a thorough comparison and investigation were conducted on the arising issues,using both single and double injection systems.Particular attention was given to meticulously discussing the die casting filling problems and microstructural defects that originated from the filling process.The research findings indicate that the implementation of a double injection system can significantly minimize cold shuts and reduce the solidification time.The effectiveness of this die casting technique was further confirmed by the production of high-quality castings using a scaled model that replicated real casting conditions at a 1:3 ratio,thereby maintaining a one-to-one correspondence in essential aspects.This successful study offers both theoretical insights and practical applications for the production of integrated bottom car bodies utilizing die casting in conjunction with a dual injection system.展开更多
The influences of two kinds of casting modules of metal casting (MC) and expandable pattern casting (EPC) on the corrosion behavior of Mg-11Gd-3Y alloy were studied by electrochemical measurements, scanning electr...The influences of two kinds of casting modules of metal casting (MC) and expandable pattern casting (EPC) on the corrosion behavior of Mg-11Gd-3Y alloy were studied by electrochemical measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation, X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. It is found that the quantity of the Mg 24 (Gd, Y) 5 phase in MC is more than that in EPC due to the cooling rate. There is more alloying element dissolved in the matrix compared with MC. For EPC, the galvanic corrosion effect between the matrix and the Mg 24 (Gd, Y) 5 phase decreases and the corrosion resistance increases compared with the MC. The chief corrosion mode for Mg-11Gd-3Y alloy is pitting corrosion because most of the alloying elements are transformed into intermetallic phases. The average corrosion rate of the MC alloy in the immersion test is five times higher than that of EPC alloy and yttrium is present in the product film, which will provide increased protection for Mg-11Gd-3Y alloy. The electrochemical measurements and immersion test show that the EPC process increases the corrosion resistance compared with the MC Mg-11Gd-3Y alloy.展开更多
基金supported and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University(IMSIU)(Grant number IMSIU-DDRSP2603)。
文摘A parametric study was performed to explore the effect of runner thickness,filtration,and hydrogen content on the mechanical properties and defect formation in Al-7%Si-0.3%Mg(2L99)sand castings.A two-level full factorial design of experiments was used to statistically evaluate these parameters and the tensile properties were characterized via Weibull distribution analysis.The findings reveal that decreasing the runner thickness from25 mm to 10 mm and using 10 PPI ceramic filters improve mechanical properties by minimizing double oxide film entrainment as confirmed by electron microscopy examination.In addition,lowering hydrogen concentrations within the Al alloy from 0.24 cm^(3)/100 g Al to 0.12 cm^(3)/100 g Al is also shown to enhance casting integrity by suppressing bifilm inflation and subsequent pore formation.ANOVA results indicate that the hydrogen content is the most important factor,contributing 53%to the variability in mechanical properties,followed by filtration(25%)and runner thickness(17%).The optimized casting conditions including thin runners(10 mm thick),melt filtration,and a low hydrogen level(0.12 cm^(3)/100 g Al),result in an approximately 474%increase in the shape factor and a 107%increase in the characteristic life of UTS,as well as an approximately 413%increase in the shape factor and a 149%increase in characteristic life of elongation.The outcomes suggest that controlled filling systems and melt treatment are critical for producing consistent,high integrity aluminum castings in industrial applications.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 5186504)the University Science Foundation for Young Science and Technology Talents in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China (Grant No. NJYT22078)+2 种基金the Basic Scientific Research Expenses Program of Universities directly under Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Grant No. JY20220059)the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region ‘Grassland Talent’ project Young Innovative Talent Training Program Level ⅠBasic Research Expenses of Universities directly under the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Grant No. ZTY2023040)。
文摘To develop a suitable production process for fiber reinforced investment casting shell mold,three methods were studied:the traditional method(M_(1)),the method of adding fiber into silica sol with mechanical stirring and ultrasonic agitation(M_(2)),and the method of adding fiber into slurry with mechanical stirring and ultrasonic agitation for durations of 3,15,30,and 45 min(M_(3)).The bending strength,high-temperature self-load deformation,and thermal conductivity of the shell molds were investigated.The results reveal that the enhancement of fiber dispersion through ultrasonic agitation improves the comprehensive performance of the shell molds.The maximum green bending strength of the shell mold by M_(2) reaches 3.29 MPa,which is 29% higher than that of the shell mold prepared by M_(1).Moreover,the high-temperature self-load deformation of the shell mold is reduced from 0.62% to 0.44%.In addition,simultaneous ultrasonic agitation and mechanical stirring effectively shorten the slurry preparation time while maintaining comparable levels of fiber dispersion.With the process M_(3)-45 min,the fillers are uniformly dispersed in the slurry,and the fired bending strength and the high-temperature self-load deformation reach 6.25 MPa and 0.41%,respectively.Therefore,the proposed ultrasonic agitation route is promising for the fabrication of fiber-reinforced shell molds with excellent fibers dispersion.
基金financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province of China(2022-MS-109)the Key Research and Development Program of Liaoning Province(2023JH2/101800045)the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Peoples Republic of China(ZZ2021006).
文摘The Cu-12Fe alloy has attracted significant attention due to its excellent electrical conductivity and electromagnetic shielding capability,high strength,cost-effectiveness,and recyclability.In the present work,the Cu-12Fe alloy strip with the thickness of 2.4 mm was successfully produced by twin-roll strip casting.The microstructure and properties of the Cu-12Fe alloy were tailored by cold rolling and aging treatment.The tensile strength of the as-cast strip is approximately 328 MPa and its elongation is 25%.The Fe phase randomly dispersed in the matrix,and the average size of Fe-rich phase is 2μm.Besides,enrichment of Fe phase is observed in the central layer of the strip,results in the formation of the“sandwich structure”.Moreover,the as-cast strip of Cu-12Fe was directly cold-rolled from 2.4 to 0.12 mm.The directly cold-rolled sample after aging at 450℃for 16 h(ProcessⅠ)shows excellent electrical conductivity of 69.5%IACS,the tensile strength and elongation are 513 MPa and 3.8%,the saturation magnetic flux density is 20.1 emu·g^(-1),and the coercive force is 25.2 Oe.In ProcessⅡ,the as-cast strip firstly cold-rolled to 1.2 mm,then aged at 500℃for 1.5 h,followed by cold rolling to 0.12 mm,finally aged at 450℃for 16 h.The sample after ProcessⅡshows the electrical conductivity of 66.3%IACS,the tensile strength of 533 MPa,an elongation of 3.5%,saturation magnetic flux density of 21.4 emu·g^(-1),and the coercive force of 22.3 Oe.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52422408 and 52171031)the Liaoning Xingliao Talents-Top-notch Young Talents Project(No.XLYC2203064)+1 种基金the Excellent Youth Fund of Liaoning Natural Science Foundation(No.2023JH3/10200001)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.N2425004).
文摘The transient phenomena of re-oxidation and slag entrapment occurring in the tundish during the ladle change-over process have been proven detrimental to clean steel production.Therefore,an unsteady three-phase turbulence model,coupling velocity,temperature,and phase field was established to study the effect of the ladle shroud immersion depth on the slag eye formation,slag entrainment,slag dragging,air dragging,and flow characteristics during the ladle change-over process of a two-strand tundish.The results showed that reducing the immersion depth decreases the high-velocity region area under the slag layer in the quasi-steady process.During the emptying stage,as the molten bath level gradually decreases,the outlet temperature exhibits a trend of initially decreasing and subsequently increasing across all three shroud immersion depths.However,under a 210 mm shroud immersion depth,molten slag and air are dragged into the shroud,forming slag droplets and causing significant fluctuations,with a maximum scalar velocity of 0.0764 m/s at the monitoring point.In the filling stage,air and molten slag are dragged into the molten bath,forming bubbles and slag droplets at an immersion depth of 210 mm.Bubbles are observed within the molten slag layer,which can readily cause an emulsification phenomenon,making it easier to be dragged as slag droplets.Additionally,the slag eye area measured under 210 mm immersion depth at 45 s is 0.303 m^(2),while the maximum scalar velocity of 2.4259 m/s is detected at 12 s.At an immersion depth of 360 mm,the average area of the slag eye is minimized to 0.06268 m2,with corresponding variances of 0.006753,representing the optimal immersion depth.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52274318).
文摘A full-sectional microstructure characterization method was developed to investigate the formation of coarse slag rims during the continuous casting of hypo-peritectic steel.The cross-sectional microstructural analysis of typical slag rims for two highly crystalline powders revealed that their formation was primarily driven by the solidification of the liquid slag.Distinct differences were observed in the microstructures of slag rims from the two powders.Powder A(characterized by a higher breaking temperature and viscosity)displayed alternating lamellar microstructures of coarse and fine phases,with the coarse phases composed of akermanite-gehlenite transition phases.In contrast,powder B(with a lower breaking temperature and viscosity)predominantly comprised regular akermanite-gehlenite crystals interspersed with a certain amount of glassy phases.Numerical simulations of a three-phase fluid flow coupled with heat transfer indicate that slag rim formation correlates with mold oscillation.Solidification of the liquid slag at the slag rim front predominantly occurs during the negative stroke of the mold oscillation.The average heating rate during the ascending stage of the mold reaches approximately 100 K·s^(−1),whereas the average cooling rate during the descending stage attains 400 K·s^(−1).This temperature variation leads to the formation of lamellar microstructures,whereas the ascending stage promotes the formation of coarse structures and thicker slag rims.Based on the powder properties,two distinct formation pathways exist for highly crystalline mold powders.For the powders with a higher breaking temperature,higher viscosity,and narrower solidification range(powder A),coarse microstructures and thicker slag rims were preferentially formed.For powders with lower breaking temperature and viscosity and wider solidification ranges(powder B),the liquid slag resisted rapid solidification,and the extended mushy zone allowed the partial liquid slag to persist at the slag rim front,promoting the formation of a thin slag rim.This study enhances the understanding of slag rim formation in highly crystalline mold powders and provides critical insights into the control of longitudinal surface cracks in hypo-peritectic steel.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52475380)the inaugural Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program(Doctoral Student Special Plan)of the China Association for Science and Technology(CAST)。
文摘Cast aluminum(Al)alloys,owing to their low density and high specific strength,offer significant advantages in the fabrication of complex,large-scale,or monolithic structural components across civilian,defense,and military sectors that are weight-sensitive,including transportation,aerospace,and underwater weaponry.However,a substantial portion of these alloys often exhibit pronounced hot tearing susceptibility(HTS)during casting,which not only detrimentally affects the quality and efficiency of industrial production but also limits their further development in high-tech applications.Therefore,a comprehensive and profound understanding of hot tearing behavior in cast Al alloys is essential.This review first analyzes the formation mechanisms of hot tearing,encompassing strength theory,liquid film theory,intergranular bridging theory,solidification shrinkage compensation theory,and relevant models,as well as the key factors governing its occurrence,including alloy composition,grain structure,casting parameters,and inclusions.It then introduces current research methods,ranging from simple evaluation and physical parameter-based approaches to in situ observation and numerical simulation,followed by a summary of newly proposed hot tearing criteria.Finally,it discusses the remaining scientific challenges and outlines future research directions.Particular emphasis is placed on recent advances in the hot tearing of cast Al alloys over the past decade.
基金supported by the Key R&D Projects in Heilongjiang Province(GA23A901)。
文摘Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloy demonstrates a significant age-hardening effect,with its mechanical properties tunable by optimizing the aging parameters.To enhance this effect,the as-cast Al-8.5Si-2Cu-0.9Mg alloy was subjected to either single-stage aging at temperatures of 150℃,175℃,200℃,and 225℃for 0.5 h to 20 h;or double-stage aging:involving a first-stage aging treatment at 120℃for 1 h,3 h,5 h,or 7 h,followed by a second-stage aging treatment at 175℃ for 0.5 h to 20 h.The microstructure and mechanical properties were evaluated for samples aged at 175℃/7 h,175℃/10 h,120℃/5 h+175℃/5 h,and 120℃/5 h+175℃/8 h.XRD analysis reveals that the as-cast Al-8.5Si-2Cu-0.9Mg alloy consists of theα-Al,Si,θ-Al_(2)Cu,and Q-Al_(5)Cu_(2)Mg_8Si_6phases.The aging kinetics exhibit a double-peak behavior in both single-stage and double-stage aging processes.Under single-stage aging at 175℃/x h and double-stage aging(120℃/5 h+175℃/x h),the precipitates'size at the first peak is smaller than that at the second peak.Compared with single-stage aging(175℃/7 h),double-stage aging(120℃/5 h+175℃/5 h)produces a finer precipitate in the alloy.Theoretical calculations indicate that the number density and nucleation rate of both the Al_(5)Cu_(2)Mg_8Si_6 and Al_(2)Cu phases are higher during the double-stage aging(120℃/5 h+175℃/5 h)than those during the single-stage aging(175℃/7 h).Additionally,tensile tests at both room temperature and 250℃demonstrate that double-stage aging(120℃/5 h+175℃/5 h)significantly improves the mechanical properties of the alloy compared to single-stage aging(175℃/7 h),suggesting that double-stage aging is more effective for enhancing mechanical properties for this alloy.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52303063)Hubei Provincial Department of Education Guided Scientific Research Project(No.B2024056)。
文摘Airless tires are essential for enhancing the safety,reliability,and convenience of maintenance of electric bicycles.Polyurethane(PU)is considered a promising candidate for such applications owing to its versatile properties.However,their use is limited by insufficient heat resistance and excessive dynamic heat generation under cyclic loading.In this study,star-shaped trifunctional polypropylene glycerol(PPG3)was incorporated into conventional poly(tetramethylene glycol)(PTMG)and 4,4'-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate(MDI)-based systems to construct microporous star-shaped casting polyurethanes(SCPU),with water serving as a green foaming agent.Unlike conventional small-molecule trifunctional crosslinkers that create junctions within hard segment domains,PPG3 introduces long flexible arms between the hard segments,anchoring the crosslinking points at its molecular core.The large steric hindrance of PPG3 effectively suppresses soft segment crystallization and lowers the degree of microphase separation,whereas the crosslinked network restricts chain mobility,thereby reducing dynamic heat generation.These structural features also enhance the heat resistance,yielding a softening temperature of 183℃,which is 30.9%higher than that of polyurethane without PPG3.When applied to airless tires by casting SCPU into rubber treads,the fabricated hybrid airless tires achieved a rolling distance of over 3000 km under a load of 65 kg at 25km/h without structural failure,satisfying practical performance requirements.This strategy offers a simple,solvent-free,and environmentally friendly process,underscoring the potential of SCPU for scalable production of high-performance airless tires.
基金funded by Multimedia University,Cyberjaya,Selangor,Malaysia(Grant Number:PostDoc(MMUI/240029)).
文摘Manual inspection of onba earing casting defects is not realistic and unreliable,particularly in the case of some micro-level anomalies which lead to major defects on a large scale.To address these challenges,we propose BearFusionNet,an attention-based deep learning architecture with multi-stream,which merges both DenseNet201 and MobileNetV2 for feature extraction with a classification head inspired by VGG19.This hybrid design,figuratively beaming from one layer to another,extracts the enormity of representations on different scales,backed by a prepreprocessing pipeline that brings defect saliency to the fore through contrast adjustment,denoising,and edge detection.The use of multi-head self-attention enhances feature fusion,enabling the model to capture both large and small spatial features.BearFusionNet achieves an accuracy of 99.66%and Cohen’s kappa score of 0.9929 in Kaggle’s Real-life Industrial Casting Defects dataset.Both McNemar’s and Wilcoxon signed-rank statistical tests,as well as fivefold cross-validation,are employed to assess the robustness of our proposed model.To interpret the model,we adopt Grad-Cam visualizations,which are the state of the art standard.Furthermore,we deploy BearFusionNet as a webbased system for near real-time inference(5-6 s per prediction),which enables the quickest yet accurate detection with visual explanations.Overall,BearFusionNet is an interpretable,accurate,and deployable solution that can automatically detect casting defects,leading to significant advances in the innovative industrial environment.
基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2022YFB3404201)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52175335,52405342)+1 种基金the Natural Science Foundation Joint Foundation of Liaoning province(Grant No.2023-B SB A-108)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.N2402005)。
文摘The effects of the high pressure die casting(HPDC)processes on porosity,microstructure,and mechanical properties of heat-treatment-free aluminum silicon(Al-Si)alloys have long been a focal point in automotive die-casting research.In this work,the combined effect of shot sleeve materials and slow shot speeds on porosity,microstructure and mechanical properties of a newly designed HPDC Al-Si alloy was investigated.Results show that employing a ceramic shot sleeve or increasing the slow shot speed significantly reduces both the average size and area fraction of externally solidified crystals(ESCs),as well as the average pore size and volume fraction.When the slow shot speed is increased from 0.05 m·s^(-1)to 0.1 m·s^(-1),the pore volume fraction decreases by 10.2%in steel-shot-sleeve samples,compared to a substantial 67.1%reduction in ceramic-shot-sleeve samples.At a slow shot speed of 0.1 m·s^(-1),castings produced with a ceramic shot sleeve exhibit superior mechanical properties:8.3%higher yield strength,17.4%greater tensile strength,and an 81.4%improvement in elongation,relative to those from a steel shot sleeve.These findings provide valuable insights for minimizing porosity and coarse ESCs in die castings,offering promising potential for broader industrial applications.
基金financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFB3706802)。
文摘Automation and intelligence have become the primary trends in the design of investment casting processes.However,the design of gating and riser systems still lacks precise quantitative evaluation criteria.Numerical simulation plays a significant role in quantitatively evaluating current processes and making targeted improvements,but its limitations lie in the inability to dynamically reflect the formation outcomes of castings under varying process conditions,making real-time adjustments to gating and riser designs challenging.In this study,an automated design model for gating and riser systems based on integrated parametric 3D modeling-simulation framework is proposed,which enhances the flexibility and usability of evaluating the casting process by simulation.Firstly,geometric feature extraction technology is employed to obtain the geometric information of the target casting.Based on this information,an automated design framework for gating and riser systems is established,incorporating multiple structural parameters for real-time process control.Subsequently,the simulation results for various structural parameters are analyzed,and the influence of these parameters on casting formation is thoroughly investigated.Finally,the optimal design scheme is generated and validated through experimental verification.Simulation analysis and experimental results show that using a larger gate neck(24 mm in side length) and external risers promotes a more uniform temperature distribution and a more stable flow state,effectively eliminating shrinkage cavities and enhancing process yield by 15%.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52174313 and 52304350)thank all members of the Hebei High Quality Steel Continuous Casting Engineering Technology Research Center at North China University of Science and Technology,Tangshan,China.
文摘The flow behavior of molten steel in the thin slab mold under high casting speed conditions was investigated,with a focus on the multi-mode continuous casting and rolling mold.A steel-slag two-phase flow model was established using large eddy simulation,the volume of fluid,and magnetohydrodynamics methods through numerical simulation.The maximum flow velocity and wave height at the steel-slag interface within the mold are critical evaluation criteria for analyzing asymmetric flow under varying casting speeds and electromagnetic braking.The results indicate that the asymmetric flows within the mold do not occur synchronously.The severity of the asymmetric flow correlates with the velocity difference across the steel-slag interface.A greater biased flow prolongs the time required to revert to a steady state.When the magnetic field intensity is set to 0.24 T and the magnetic pole position is at 390 mm from the steel-slag interface,this configuration can reduce the velocity of the steel-slag interface,thereby mitigating the asymmetric flow.Additionally,it can diminish the velocity,impact depth,and impact intensity on the narrow face of the jet,thus improving the distribution of velocity and turbulent kinetic energy within the mold.This configuration prolongs the time required for the steel-slag interface to transition from a stable state to its maximum velocity and shortens the time for the interface to return to stability from an unstable state.Moreover,it ensures the positional stability of the steel-slag interface,confining its position within−3 mm.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52474396 and 52175284)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2022YFB3404201)。
文摘In order to investigate the effect of die wall thickness on morphologies of defect band,a stepped mold with a wall thickness of 5 mm,4 mm,3 mm,2 mm,and 1 mm was designed to carry out high pressure die casting experiments with AlSi10 MgMn alloy.For castings with wall thickness of 2-4 mm,the ratio of the mean defect band width(w)and mean grain size(d)in the defect band(w/d)ranges 7-18,while it increases to 24.47 for the 5 mm-thick casting.This difference is related with the filling speed and the distribution of externally solidified crystals(ESCs).The mold flow analysis indicates that the filling speed decreases from 25.41 m·s^(-1)to 11.07 m·s^(-1)when wall thickness increases from 2 mm to 5 mm.Due to the decreasing filling speed along the wall thickness,ESCs gradually diffuse from the center to the defect band,which keep the shear strength in the defect band at a high-level during filling.Meanwhile,the shear strength generated during the filling also decreases as the shear rate drops.Finally,the defect bands in the 5 mm-thick region become widen and indistinct,and the porosity is as high as 5.25%.
基金supported by the National Sci-ence and Technology Major Project of China(No.J2019-VI-0004-0117)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52071205 and 51821001)+2 种基金the Aeronautical Science Fund of China(No.2023Z053057003)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality,China(No.23ZR1428800)the Shanghai Industrial Collaborative Innovation Project(No.XTCX-KJ-2022-41).
文摘Counter-gravity casting(CGC)is a widely adopted material processing technique in metals due to its notable benefits,including enhanced filling behavior,reduced defect occurrence,and elevated mechani-cal properties.It plays a pivotal role in fabricating intricate,high-quality components.After its inception in the early 1900s,various CGC processes have emerged,such as low-pressure,counter-pressure,vac-uum suction,and adjusted pressure casting,which are explored in this discourse with an eye toward further advancements.Despite CGC’s superiority over traditional gravity casting and other manufacturing methodologies,specific issues and constraints persist within CGC.This paper endeavors to provide a com-prehensive overview of the historical progression of CGC,its recent developments,and the associated re-search aspects,encompassing topics like filling processes,solidification,microstructural transformations,and the resultant mechanical properties of the fabricated products.Additionally,this paper offers insights into the future challenges and opportunities of CGC.
文摘Purpose–The precast concrete slab track(PST)has advantages of fewer maintenance frequencies,better smooth rides and structural stability,which has been widely applied in urban rail transit.Precise positioning of precast concrete slab(PCS)is vital for keeping the initial track regularity.However,the cast-in-place process of the self-compacting concrete(SCC)filling layer generally causes a large deformation of PCS due to the water-hammer effect of flowing SCC,even cracking of PCS.Currently,the buoyancy characteristic and influencing factors of PCS during the SCC casting process have not been thoroughly studied in urban rail transit.Design/methodology/approach–In this work,a Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD)model is established to calculate the buoyancy of PCS caused by the flowing SCC.The main influencing factors,including the inlet speed and flowability of SCC,have been analyzed and discussed.A new structural optimization scheme has been proposed for PST to reduce the buoyancy caused by the flowing SCC.Findings–The simulation and field test results showed that the buoyancy and deformation of PCS decreased obviously after adopting the new scheme.Originality/value–The findings of this study can provide guidance for the control of the deformation of PCS during the SCC construction process.
文摘1.Introduction Casting accounts for over 90%of magnesium-based alloy applications with die-cast and thixomolded parts dominating.The high strength-to-weight ratio coupled with excellent fluidity,low volumetric latent heat and heat capacity,reduced cycle times,and low soldering tendencies,all make magnesium alloys excellent choices for die casting applications.Despite these advantages,in recent years,the use of magnesium in die casting applications has been declining.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52175284)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2022YFB3404201).
文摘This study investigates the formation feasibility of the integrated bottom car body components with dual die casting injection molding technology.During the production of a die-cast super-large one-piece body part weighing over 10,000 t,a thorough comparison and investigation were conducted on the arising issues,using both single and double injection systems.Particular attention was given to meticulously discussing the die casting filling problems and microstructural defects that originated from the filling process.The research findings indicate that the implementation of a double injection system can significantly minimize cold shuts and reduce the solidification time.The effectiveness of this die casting technique was further confirmed by the production of high-quality castings using a scaled model that replicated real casting conditions at a 1:3 ratio,thereby maintaining a one-to-one correspondence in essential aspects.This successful study offers both theoretical insights and practical applications for the production of integrated bottom car bodies utilizing die casting in conjunction with a dual injection system.
基金Project(2007CB613705)supported by the National Basic Research Program of China
文摘The influences of two kinds of casting modules of metal casting (MC) and expandable pattern casting (EPC) on the corrosion behavior of Mg-11Gd-3Y alloy were studied by electrochemical measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation, X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. It is found that the quantity of the Mg 24 (Gd, Y) 5 phase in MC is more than that in EPC due to the cooling rate. There is more alloying element dissolved in the matrix compared with MC. For EPC, the galvanic corrosion effect between the matrix and the Mg 24 (Gd, Y) 5 phase decreases and the corrosion resistance increases compared with the MC. The chief corrosion mode for Mg-11Gd-3Y alloy is pitting corrosion because most of the alloying elements are transformed into intermetallic phases. The average corrosion rate of the MC alloy in the immersion test is five times higher than that of EPC alloy and yttrium is present in the product film, which will provide increased protection for Mg-11Gd-3Y alloy. The electrochemical measurements and immersion test show that the EPC process increases the corrosion resistance compared with the MC Mg-11Gd-3Y alloy.